IIT Kanpur team develops cost-effective handheld X-ray device for TB screening

Indian scientists have developed an affordable, indigenous handheld X-ray device for tuberculosis screening for easy access to under-resourced areas.

In Short

• An indigenous X-ray device has been developed by IIT Kanpur scientists
• It handheld device can help enhance tuberculosis screening
• It is half the cost of the important handheld X-ray devices

To enhance tuberculosis screening in India, the country's top medical research body has collaborated with scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur to create a handheld X-ray device.

Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research, said that instead of relying on expensive handheld X-ray devices, Indian scientists have developed an indigenous portable X-ray machine to transform tuberculosis screening in the country.

"The handheld X-rays are available at a very high cost and now the IIT Kanpur in partnership with ICMR has developed a handheld X-ray totally indigenously which will be less than half the cost of what the cost of imported handheld X-rays," Dr Bahl told news agency ANI at the 19th International Conference of Drug Regulatory Authorities (ICDRA) INDIA-2024.

This innovative X-ray device is set to be a game-changer for healthcare delivery, particularly in under-resourced areas, offering a cost-effective alternative to imported devices.

As Dr Bahl noted, the newly developed handheld X-ray will cost less than half the price of imported versions. This dramatic cost reduction is expected to make advanced diagnostic tools more accessible, especially for rural and vulnerable populations.

Even though tuberculosis is a preventable disease, over 1.5 million people die of it each year. Though chest radiography is a proven tool for TB screening, it is highly effective in detecting signs of TB and is useful for confirming a potential TB diagnosis.

In 2022, ICMR granted Rs 4.60 crore to scientists at IIT Kanpur to develop a completely homegrown, affordable, and AI-enabled handheld X-ray device.

This handheld device will be battery-operated and can be packed into backpacks to be easily transported to hard-to reach populations that currently face barriers to accessing healthcare services.

Using handheld X-rays devices in conjunction with AI solutions that detect TB presents an opportunity to find TB cases even in the most remote settings.

The scientists worked with Lenek Technologies Private Limited to create this device.

Tuberculosis continues to be a pressing health issue in India, where timely detection and treatment are crucial for controlling its spread. Early diagnosis can significantly improve patient outcomes and help prevent transmission.

This could make TB diagnostics far more efficient and affordable, in line with India’s broader goal of eliminating tuberculosis by 2025.